Elastic band type projecting device

ABSTRACT

A target launcher having a pivoted lever arm that is manually pivoted to tension elastic members for projecting a target. The lever arm has a slidable block with a vertically movable fin which is manually actuated to release the elastic members when the lever arm is in a cocked position.

United States Patent Tucker et al. I

[ 1 Oct. 3, 1972 ELASTIC BAND TYPE PROJECTING DEVICE [72] Inventors:Henry G. Tucker, Norwalk; Paul J.

Donoski, Bridgeport, both of Conn.

[73] Assignee: Remington Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn.

[22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 85,022

[52] US. Cl. ..l24/l7, 124/35, 124/41 [51] Int. Cl .....F4lb 7/00 [58]Field oiSearch ..124/l7,21,22, 16, 35,41, 124/42, 37; 273/1054 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 562,448 6/1896 Zedora ..l24/l72,363,970 11/1944 Kalep ..l24/22 UX 3,517,656 6/1970 Darrell ..124/42 X2,939,449 6/1960 Kortick 124/37 X 224,254 2/1880 Warne ..273/ 105.4312,604 2/1885 Barker ..273/ 105.4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 433,122 2/1935 Great Britain 124/41Primary Examiner--Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R.Browne Attorney-John H. Lewis, Jr. and Nicholas Skovran [5 7] ABSTRACT Atarget launcher having a pivoted lever arm that is manually pivoted totension elastic members for projecting a target. The lever arm has aslidable block with a vertically movable fin which is manually actuatedto release the elastic members when the lever arm is in a cockedposition.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures ELASTIC BAND TYPE PROJECTING DEVICE RELATEDAPPLICATIONS A copending application of Kenneth W. Misevich, Ser. No.81,258, filed Oct. 16, 1970, relates to a preferred design of target towhich this launching device is particularly adapted. Another copendingapplication of Robert J. Tryon, Ser. No. 84,966, filed Oct. 29, 1970,relates to a preferred method of attaching tail-like appendages to suchtargets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inanimate aerial targets have existed sincethe first shooter threw a bottle or soared a plate into the air. Thebrittle disk shaped target or clay pigeon was documented in the 1880s byUnited States patents and has enjoyed popularity ever since. Manypatents have been issued to describe materials, design and novel ideasto make the launching and pronounced hitting of these targets cheap,reliable and entertaining. The standard trap and skeet target is thrownsome 50 yards and is gyroscopic ally stabilized by the spin imparted toit at launching. It certainly is a simple flying target which has apredictable path to aid in shooter tracking.

Also from the earliest times, it has been recognized that the claypigeon does not fly like many birds; therefore, there have been numeroussolutions of bird-targets offered. However, none has endured in anypopular shooting game.

Whereas a standard trap and skeet target cannot be thrown without spinto produce any bird-like flight, the related invention of Kenneth W.Misevich, above referred to, proposes that a minimum of aerodynamicstability be added to the target by affixing a tail on the rear of thetarget. This tail overcomes a natural tendency of the spinless standardtrap and skeet target to tumble end over end and further provides asimple means of controlling the general flight trajectory of the targetso as to produce swooping, soaring and skipping type flights whichresemble bird flight. Further, the size, shape, and attachment angle ofthe tail coupled with control over launch direction, initial velocityand elevation permits variation in the difficulty of the target from theeasy to the difficult shot. This appendage allows almost any type offlight to be selected and maintained with reasonable repeatability andtherefore allows fundamental design of new shooting game.

The present invention relates to a portable, manually controlledlaunching device for such targets which stripped to bare essentialscomprises a carrier adapted to engage such a target, a launchingplatform over which the carrier may linearly move the target and meansfor driving the carrier.

Other prior art bird-like targets have been mounted on rods or arrowsand projected by a crossbow like device (U.S. Pat. No. 224,254 to M.Warne, Feb. 3, 1880) or by a pair of extensible coil springs (U.S. Pat.No. 312,604 to J. L. Barker, Feb. 24, 1885). Although by the provisionof suitable target carriers those devices could be adapted to projectthe targets referred to in the application of Kenneth W. Misevich, weprefer to use a device such as that which is described in more detail inthe following detailed description referring to the attached drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplarytarget launching device;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the launching device shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a preferred form of launcher which may be used tothrow any of the targets disclosed in the Misevich application. Thislauncher which is dis closed but not claimed in the Misevich applicationcomprises a fixed substantially level base 14 to which a sub-base 15 issecured with a pivotal mounting attachment l6 permitting at leastlimited rotation of the sub-base with respect to the base. A launchingplatform 17 is attached as by hinge means 18 to the sub-base withprovision for elevation adjustment as by the braces 19 which mount across bar 20 engageable selectively in notches 21 in the lower surfaceof the launching platform to provide for elevation angles such as 10,20, 30 or 40. Thus, the launching platform is provided with adjustmentswhich permit the selection of the desired angles of azimuth andelevation with respect to the base and thereby control the .direction oftarget release.

Two fixed anchor points are provided on posts 22 in the upper surface ofthe launching platform and to these anchor points there are securedshort lengths of highly, elastic tubing 23, shock cord, bands or thelike.

The ends of the elastic means 23 remote from the anchor posts 22 aresecured to a target carrier 24 which may be a light metal bar formed todefine a curve matching the throwing target. A bail or wire hook 26 isattached to the target carrier to provide a means of extending theelastic and retaining it until release is desired. A pair of snubberposts 27 are provided in the surface of the launching platform to assistin controlling over travel of the carrier and the elastic means.Preferably the snubber posts are so positioned that, even in theuncocked position the elastic means is under some tension to insure thatthe carrier bail 26 has a consistent position for recocking.

A cocking arm 28 is pivotally mounted on the launching platform andprovided with a latch 29 by which it may be releaseably retained in acocked position. The cocking arm islongitudinally slotted as at 30 andslidably mounted in the slot is a carrier holding pin slide 31 in whicha carrier holding pin 32 is mounted with limited capacity for verticalmovement. With the carrier holding pin in its lowermost position, thepin extends below the cocking arm a sufficient distance to permit it tobe engaged in the bail 26. The head 33 of the carrier holding pinextends above the slide 31 and provides a means of raising the pin 32 adistance sufficient to bring its end portion flush with the lowersurface of the slide so that the bail 26 is released.

In use the pin 32 is engaged with the bail 26 and the cocking arm 28 isdrawn backward into engagement with the latch 29. During this movementthe elastic means 23 are tensioned and the slide 31 moves along the slot30 to provide an increasing leverage as the tension in the elastic meansincreases. The length of the slot 30 and the position of the latch areso related that, when the cocking arm is engaged with the latch, thecocking pin 32 will be positioned equidistant from each of the anchorpoints 22 and the two lengths of the elastic means 23 will be equallytensioned.

A bifurcated carrier release lever 34 is pivotally mounted on thecocking arm in such a position that when the cocking arm is latched infully cocked position the head 33 of the carrier holding pin ispositioned over the arms of the carrier release lever which straddlesthe cocking pin. Pressure or the blow of a clenched fist upon the freeend 35 of the carrier release lever raises the carrier holding pin outof engagement with the bail 26 and releases the carrier to project thetarget which has been in engagement therewith. To provide for varyingdegrees of tension in the elastic means and hence varying the force ofprojection the latch 29 may provide for several different positions itbeing noted that in any of the practicable positions the carrier pin 32is so nearly centered that there is no consequential lack of equality inthe tension in the elastic means. A suitable range of target velocityextends from about 70 fps to about 85 fps. 7

With the cocking arm retracted to a maximum degree and the elastic meansat their maximum tension, the target carrier may, upon release, overtravel beyond the snubber posts to a degree sufficient to extend pastthe end of the launching platform. To avoid the chance that the carriermay whip around the edge of the platform with consequential damage tothe carrier or platform or both, the platform maybe elongated beyond themaximum possible .over travel of the carrier or a resiliently facedplatform extension 36 may be utilized which preferably lies slightlybelow the plane of the launching platform to minimize interference withthe flight of the target. To minimize friction during target projectionthe launching platform is preferably faced with a hard surfaced smoothmaterial such as the plastic material identified by the trademarkFormica.

With the carrier secured in the cocked position the target may be placedin the carrier with the curved surface of the carrier engaging thethrowing rim of the target. The variables of launcher adjustment whichcontrol target flight are the settings in azimuth and elevation and .theforce of the elastic means. Release of the carrier propels the targetalong a line midway between the anchor points at the angle of elevationdetermined by the setting of the platform. The flight of the targetthereafter follows a general trajectory determined by the azimuth,elevation, and force of launching but that trajectory is subject to widevariations in soaring above and dipping below that trajectory asdetermined by the aerodynamics of the disklike target body and theparticular tail structure employed.

Targets can be comfortably launched at the rate of seven or eight perminute by following the procedure described above. The highest or 40elevation setting produces a target which is easiest to hit. Generally a40 target will climb to a near stall and then circle or sail down in adirection whose randomness is influenced by the wind. As the elevationis dropped, the targets fly perceptibly faster and, of course, lowerwith the possibility of some rather quick turns, climbs or dives. Thelowest elevation is a very fast and difficult shot with a possibility ofa target diving into the ground before a shooter can get on it. I

The elevation angle can also be used to compensate to some degree fordifferences in elevation between the shooter and the launching deviceand to provide some co pens tion for head wind or tail Wild conditions.

ener y, tension settings to pro uce velocities of the target around fpsare most satisfactory in terms of providing for the more desirableclimbing and wide turning flight. A higher velocity may be desirable tocompensate for a head wind but generally even a rela tively smallincrease in velocity up to about fps will produce a substantially hardertarget to hit.

Although a preferred embodiment has been discussed above in some detail,it will be appreciated that substantial variations in the design arepossible and practicable. Accordingly, it should be understood that wedo not consider that our invention is limited to the precise embodimentdisclosed. For a definition of the scope of our invention referenceshould be made to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A launching device for an aerial target wherein there is provided aplanar launching platform, a target carrier movable over the surface ofthe launching platform, means first comprising a pair of extendableelastic members each secured at one end to the platform and at the otherend to the target carrier and acting to propel the carrier, and a targetcarried thereby in a linear path across the surface of the platform,second means for releaseably retaining the carrier in a cocked positionwith the first means extended to a degree sufficient to launch thetarget when the carrier is released, a third means pivotally mounted onthe platform, for moving said carrier removably in a generally straightline during a cocking action with each of said extendable elasticmembers placed under substantially equal tension a fourth means forholding said third means in a cocked position said second meansincluding a block slidably mounted in only said third means, said blocksincluding a vertically displaceable fin for releasably engaging thecarrier, and said third means further including means for manuallydisengaging said pin to permit the elastic members to propel the target.

2. A launching device as defined in claim 1 wherein said second means isselectively engageable at different positions on said fiatform so thatthe degree of tension applied to said extendable elastic members may beselected.

3. A launching device as defined in claim 1 wherein said third meansincludes a cocking lever, a fifth means is provided defining a trackextending along the length of the cocking lever, said block beingslidable along the length of the track between a first position which isremote from the pivotal mounting of the lever and adjacent the uncockedposition of the carrier and a second position which is nearer to thepoint of pivotal mounting, the cocking forces applied to the carrierreacts on the blocks in such a manner that as the cocking lever is swungabout the pivotal mounting to a cocking position the block will beconstrained to move toward the point of pivotal mounting and to increasethe mechanical advantage of the lever system thus substantiallyequalizing the force required for cocking during the cocking movement.

1. A launching device for an aerial target wherein there is provided aplanar launching platform, a target carrier movable over the surface ofthe launching platform, means first comprising a pair of extendableelastic members each secured at one end to the platform and at the otherend to the target carrier and acting to propel the carrier, and a targetcarried thereby in a linear path across the surface of the platform,second means for releaseably retaining the carrier in a cocked positionwith the first means extended to a degree sufficient to launch thetarget when the carrier is released, a third means pivotally mounted onthe platform, for moving said carrier removably in a generally straightline during a cocking action with each of said extendable elasticmembers placed under substantially equal tension a fourth means forholding said third means in a cocked position said second meansincluding a block slidably mounted in only said third means, said blocksincluding a vertically displaceable fin for releasably engaging thecarrier, and said third means further including means for manuallydisengaging said pin to permit the elastic members to propel the target.2. A launching device as defined in claim 1 wherein said second means isselectively engageable at different positions on said flatform so thatthe degree of tension applied to said extendable elastic members may beselected.
 3. A launching device as defined in claim 1 wherein said thirdmeans includes a cocking lever, a fifth means is provided defining atrack extending along the length of the cocking lever, said block beingslidable along the length of the track between a first position which isremote from the pivotal mounting of the lever and adjacent the uncockedposition of the carrier and a second position which is nearer to thepoint of pivotal mounting, the cocking forces applied to the carrierreacts on the blocks in such a manner that as the cocking lever is swungabout the pivotal mounting to a cocking position the block will beconstrained to move toward the point of pivotal mounting and to increasethe mechanical advantage of the lever system thus substantiallyequalizing the force required for cocking during the cocking movement.